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Scripture for the day: 1 Peter 1:18-19 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Thought for the day: It’s about deliverance!! It’s not about living a better life, improving on one’s situation or becoming a moral citizen. The purpose of Passover was complete and full deliverance from bondage. That could only come by the application of the blood sacrifice: “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:13). There could be no compromise; nothing has changed.
Pharaoh (Satan) has not changed in all these years. As the first Pharaoh offered a series of compromises to the children of Israel, so Satan will gladly do today. First, he says, “Go to church if you must, but stay here in the land of sin you’ve become accustomed to. There is no need to leave.” When that doesn’t work, he says, “Go from here, but don’t go too far away. We must keep in contact with one another.” If that doesn’t ensure that we remain in captivity, he offers a third alternative: “Go from here if you really want to, but leave your families behind.” He knows the pull of relationship and how powerfully will be the temptation to return to slavery if there are loved ones there. Finally, when all else failed, Pharaoh said, “Go ahead and leave, but let your property remain behind.” Again, he knows the attraction of the material world. “It will cost you a great deal to become a Christian,” whispers the evil one. Our response must always be, “Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold.”
There is so much more I want to say but the limits of time and space prevent it. The bottom line is this: deliverance for the children of Israel could only come through the offering of blood; ours is no different. Even at that, salvation through the blood of Jesus is conditional. The Israelites were told to slaughter the Passover lamb and sprinkle the blood on the door posts and lintels. When the angel of death saw the blood, he would pass over that house and move on to the next. Unless those looking for deliverance were obedient and applied the blood as commanded, they would be no different than anyone who ignored the command altogether.
For you and me, the only way to deliverance is belief in the Savior and application of the provision He has made available to us. That belief must include repentance and a desire to obey His commands. To imagine that, because the blood of Jesus was shed on the cross for every soul that ever has existed, all will be saved, regardless of their response is like supposing a drowning man will be saved whether he gets in the life-boat that has been sent for him or not. We can present all the excuses we want to reject the clear call of salvation through the blood, but none will avail when we’re confronted with Jesus’ assurance: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by me.”
Passover is about deliverance, pure and simple. Our part in the whole scheme is to believe and allow that belief to dictate our response. May the blood be applied so that the consequences of unbelief will not be ours. The battle has been fought; the enemy of our soul has been defeated. We have only to move out of bondage as the Lord leads.
Now go take on your world. - Bill